This study examines the timing, tempo, and logic of fishery taskscapes at two Woodland villages (... more This study examines the timing, tempo, and logic of fishery taskscapes at two Woodland villages (ca. AD 325-1040) on the north-central coast of the Gulf of Mexico (USA). A multi-proxy combination of zooarchaeological attributions, light stable isotope analyses, and related approaches reveals cyclical aspects of the temporality of taskscapes at these two non-farming communities, identifying which resources were collected when and where. Awareness of local diurnal tidal cycles and their influence on accessibility and distribution of near-shore resources, and the rationales for strategies employed by modern, nonindustrial fishers and shellfish gatherers add depth and complexity to our understanding of the daily rhythms of life for these villagers. During winter months, shellfishing efforts likely took advantage of the lowest tides of the year to harvest massive quantities of oysters in the late morning each day. Fishing efforts likely tracked with tidal cycles as well, targeting deeper water during the early morning ebb tide, and the shoreline zone during the evening flood tide. In the summer, shoreline fishing opportunities peaked during midday high tide, with shellfishing opportunities being less frequent and less productive overall. The temporality of these interrelated tasks documents a strategic knowledge of tides, currents, and local resources.
A time frame for late Iroquoian prehistory is firmly established on the basis of the presence/abs... more A time frame for late Iroquoian prehistory is firmly established on the basis of the presence/absence of European trade goods and other archeological indicators. However, independent dating evidence is lacking. We use 86 radiocarbon measurements to test and (re)define existing chronological understanding. Warminster, often associated with Cahiagué visited by S. de Champlain in 1615–1616 CE, yields a compatible radiocarbon-based age. However, a well-known late prehistoric site sequence in southern Ontario, Draper-Spang-Mantle, usually dated ~1450–1550, yields much later radiocarbon-based dates of ~1530–1615. The revised time frame dramatically rewrites 16th-century contact-era history in this region. Key processes of violent conflict, community coalescence, and the introduction of European goods all happened much later and more rapidly than previously assumed. Our results suggest the need to reconsider current understandings of contact-era dynamics across northeastern North America.
Historical ecology has revolutionized our understanding of fisheries and cultural landscapes, dem... more Historical ecology has revolutionized our understanding of fisheries and cultural landscapes, demonstrating the value of historical data for evaluating the past, present, and future of Earth’s ecosystems. Despite several important studies, Indigenous fisheries generally receive less attention from scholars and managers than the 17th–20th century capitalist commercial fisheries that decimated many keystone species, including oysters. We investigate Indigenous oyster harvest through time in North America and Australia, placing these data in the context of sea level histories and historical catch records. Indigenous oyster fisheries were pervasive across space and through time, persisting for 5000–10,000 years or more. Oysters were likely managed and sometimes “farmed,” and are woven into broader cultural, ritual, and social traditions. Effective stewardship of oyster reefs and other marine fisheries around the world must center Indigenous histories and include Indigenous community mem...
Circular shell rings along the South Atlantic Coast of North America are the remnants of some of ... more Circular shell rings along the South Atlantic Coast of North America are the remnants of some of the earliest villages that emerged during the Late Archaic (5000–3000 BP). Many of these villages, however, were abandoned during the Terminal Late Archaic (ca 3800–3000 BP). We combine Bayesian chronological modeling with mollusk shell geochemistry and oyster paleobiology to understand the nature and timing of environmental change associated with the emergence and abandonment of circular shell ring villages on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Our Bayesian models indicate that Native Americans occupied the three Sapelo shell rings at varying times with some generational overlap. By the end of the complex’s occupation, only Ring III was occupied before abandonment ca. 3845 BP. Ring III also consists of statistically smaller oysters harvested from less saline estuaries compared to earlier occupations. Integrating shell biochemical and paleobiological data with recent tree ring analyses shows a clea...
The goal of this interdisciplinary project was to examine seasonal aspects of Woodland settlement... more The goal of this interdisciplinary project was to examine seasonal aspects of Woodland settlement patterns and resource use on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico from the perspective of two Woodland-period archaeological sites. The sites are located on the Alabama coast near Mobile Bay. Very little research has been conducted in this area for the Woodland period even though information about life during the Woodland period offers an important perspective on coastal life during the Mississippian period which followed it. Mississippian settlement patterns and subsistence strategies were presumably very different from those in the Woodland period in terms of mobility, social organization, and the role of domesticated plants. The project specifically looked at invertebrate and vertebrate remains from Middle and Late Woodland deposits at two Gulf coast sites: Plash Island (A.D. 325-642) and Bayou St. John (A.D. 650-1041). The multi-proxy study involved zooarchaeology of invertebrates and vertebrates, as well as stable isotope geochemistry [δ18O, δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr], laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and bulk ICP-MS analyses of oysters, rangias, coquinas, quahogs, hardhead catfishes, and gafftopsail catfishes. Molluscs dominate the Plash Island assemblage in terms of individuals though vertebrates contribute half of the biomass; molluscs dominate the Bayou St. John assemblage in terms of both individuals and biomass. Neither assemblage is highly diverse, though the Plash Island assemblage is more diverse than the Bayou St. John assemblage both in terms of sources of individuals and sources of biomass. People at Plash Island used shellfish and fish from a wider range of trophic levels and from higher trophic levels than did people at Bayou St. John. The more diverse strategy practiced at Plash Island extended to using more venison, which was a minor resource at Bayou St. John. Although people at both locations used over 70 invertebrate and vertebrate taxa, the people at Plash Island used those animals more evenly. Compared to the strategy practiced by people at Plash Island, people at Bayou St. John were more focused on estuarine resources, particularly molluscs, a focus reflected in the lower mean trophic level and the high percentages of individuals and biomass from trophic level 2.1 in the Bayou St. John assemblage. Most of the fish individuals in both assemblages are from fishes with the potential of maturing into large-bodied fishes. Inherently small-bodied fishes contribute very little of the biomass to either assemblage. Nonetheless, at least half of the sea catfishes, mullets, and drums in both assemblages had a Standard Length below 250 mm, indicating that they were small, young fish, though some individuals were considerably larger. The preferred fishing technology at both sites was based on mass-capture methods, such as weirs and small-gauged nets, but this was more pronounced at Bayou St. John than at Plash Island. Other technologies, such as large-gauged nets, likely were used to capture the large fish individuals in both assemblages. The Plash Island assemblage contains but one animal that has a markedly seasonal migratory habit such that its presence in the assemblage indicates a season when people too were present. In this case, the cownose ray only indicates a spring through fall, which is not sufficiently specific to reconstruct human residential patterns. The Bayou St. John assemblage contains somewhat more animals with more specific seasonal migratory habits; some of these animals are present near the site during warm weather and others are present during cool weather, indicating that Bayou St. John was occupied on a multi-seasonal basis. It also suggests a preference at both sites for using animals that were present at any time of the year, and seldom using highly seasonal molluscs or fishes. Stable oxygen isotope sequences in mollusc valves and fish otoliths indicate that people were present at both sites during all four seasons. Oxygen and carbon analysis of carbonate structures indicate that average stable oxygen and carbon isotope values of individual molluscs and fishes varied by taxon as well as by site. Isotopic analyses of carbon, nitrogen, and strontium indicate that archaeological deer specimens from Plash Island and Bayou St. John are all from the local biogeographic and geologic region and do not represent a resource brought to the site from a more inland location. For comparison, similar analyses were conducted on materials from the nearby, but inland, Corps site, which had a similar isotopic signature to the coastal materials. A parsimonious interpretation of this evidence may be that some, but not all, of the residents of coastal Alabama were mobile, but most of the mobility was restricted to the coastal strand, including Mobile Bay and the Mobile-Tensaw delta. Some of this mobility may have been seasonal, but, if so, it was based…
A single Northern Hemisphere calibration curve has formed the basis of radiocarbon dating in Euro... more A single Northern Hemisphere calibration curve has formed the basis of radiocarbon dating in Europe and the Mediterranean for five decades, setting the time frame for prehistory. However, as measurement precision increases, there is mounting evidence for some small but substantive regional (partly growing season) offsets in same-year radiocarbon levels. Controlling for interlaboratory variation, we compare radiocarbon data from Europe and the Mediterranean in the second to earlier first millennia BCE. Consistent with recent findings in the second millennium CE, these data suggest that some small, but critical, periods of variation for Mediterranean radiocarbon levels exist, especially associated with major reversals or plateaus in the atmospheric radiocarbon record. At high precision, these variations potentially affect calendar dates for prehistory by up to a few decades, including, for example, Egyptian history and the much-debated Thera/Santorini volcanic eruption.
ABSTRACTIn southwestern Florida, USA, terraformed landscapes built almost entirely of oyster shel... more ABSTRACTIn southwestern Florida, USA, terraformed landscapes built almost entirely of oyster shells (Crassostrea virginica) reflect a unique pre-Columbian tradition of shell-built architecture. The ability to reliably date oyster shells is essential to identifying spatial, temporal, and functional relationships among shellworks sites, yet to date there has been no systematic attempt to quantify or correct for carbon reservoir effects in this region. Here we present 14 radiocarbon (14C) ages for 5 known-age, pre-bomb oyster shells collected between AD 1932–1948, as well as 6 14C ages for archaeological oyster/charcoal pairs from the Turner River Mound Complex, Everglades National Park. We report our current best estimate of ΔR = 92 ± 74 yr for Greater Southwest Florida, and ΔR = –15 ± 42 yr for the Turner River archaeological site. Future research should focus on paired archaeological specimens to obtain spatially and temporally relevant estimates of ΔR.
Radiocarbon dating is rarely used in historical or contact-era North American archaeology because... more Radiocarbon dating is rarely used in historical or contact-era North American archaeology because of idiosyncrasies of the calibration curve that result in ambiguous calendar dates for this period. We explore the potential and requirements for radiocarbon dating and Bayesian analysis to create a time frame for early contact-era sites in northeast North America independent of the assumptions and approximations involved in temporal constructs based on trade goods and other archaeological correlates. To illustrate, we use Bayesian chronological modeling to analyze radiocarbon dates on short-lived samples and a post from four Huron-Wendat Arendarhonon sites (Benson, Sopher, Ball, and Warminster) to establish an independent chronology. We find that Warminster was likely occupied in 1615–1616, and so is the most likely candidate for the site of Cahiagué visited by Samuel de Champlain in 1615–1616, versus the other main suggested alternative, Ball, which dates earlier, as do the Sopher and...
Abstract The use of stable isotopes in zooarchaeology is common; however, the effects of many coo... more Abstract The use of stable isotopes in zooarchaeology is common; however, the effects of many cooking and post-depositional processes on the chemical composition of faunal remains are understood poorly. People of the Americas processed maize through nixtamalization, a method of preparing grains by soaking and cooking them in an alkaline solution. Once discarded, nixtamalization wastewater may have contacted other food waste, such as bone. We examine the effects of alkaline exposure on stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) in fish bone collagen. Bony structures of four modern shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus), a commonly identified taxon in eastern North American zooarchaeological assemblages, were exposed to four treatments that varied in alkalinity and duration of exposure. No significant differences were observed between treated and untreated specimens in δ13C values. Prolonged exposure to a highly alkaline solution caused a shift in bone collagen δ15N values of approximately −0.44‰. The extreme conditions required to cause this shift suggests that the byproduct of nixtamalization would have negligible effects on archaeological bone collagen δ13C and δ15N values.
In coastal and island archaeology, carbonate mollusk shells are often among the most abundant mat... more In coastal and island archaeology, carbonate mollusk shells are often among the most abundant materials available for radiocarbon (14C) dating. The marsh periwinkle (Littorina irrorata) is one of these such species, ubiquitously found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States in both modern and archaeological contexts. This paper presents a novel approach to dating estuarine mollusks where rather than attempting to characterize the size and variability of reservoir effects to “correct” shell carbonate dates, we describe a compound-specific approach that isolates conchiolin, the organic matter bound with the shell matrix of the L. irrorata. Conchiolin typically constitutes <5% of shell weight. In L. irrorata, it is derived from the snail’s terrestrial diet and is thus not strongly influenced by marine, hardwater, or other carbon reservoir effects. We compare the carbon isotopes (δ13C and Δ14C) of L. irrorata shell carbonate, conchiolin, and bulk soft tissue from six ...
Biogeochemical analyses of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are frequently included in env... more Biogeochemical analyses of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are frequently included in environmental monitoring and paleoecological studies because their shells and soft tissues record environmental and dietary signals. Carbon isotopes in the mineral phase of the shell are derived from ambient bicarbonate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), while organic carbon present in soft tissue is of dietary origin. Mineral-bound organic matter within the carbonate shell matrix (“conchiolin”) is studied less frequently. The purpose of this study was to compare carbon isotope composition (δ13C and Δ14C) of conchiolin to those of shell carbonates and soft tissues in eastern oysters and assess the extent to which conchiolin can provide insight into paleoecological records. Eleven oyster specimens were live-collected from Apalachicola Bay, USA, as well as a set of environmental samples (water, sediment, and terrestrial plants). Overall, the δ13C values in all studied oyster tissue types r...
Between 1985 and 2014, the number of US doctoral graduates in Anthropology increased from about 3... more Between 1985 and 2014, the number of US doctoral graduates in Anthropology increased from about 350 to 530 graduates per year. This rise in doctorates entering the work force along with an overall decrease in the numbers of tenure-track academic positions has resulted in highly competitive academic job market. We estimate that approximately79% of US anthropology doctorates do not obtain tenure-track positions at BA/BS, MA/MS, and PhD institutions in the US. Here, we examine where US anthropology faculty obtained their degrees and where they ultimately end up teaching as tenure-track faculty. Using data derived from the 2014-2015 AnthroGuide and anthropology departmental web pages, we identify and rank PhD programs in terms of numbers of graduates who have obtained tenure-track academic jobs; examine long-term and ongoing trends in the programs producing doctorates for the discipline as a whole, as well as for the subfields of archaeology, bioanthropology, and sociocultural anthropol...
Over the past 30 years, the number of US doctoral anthropology graduates has increased by about 7... more Over the past 30 years, the number of US doctoral anthropology graduates has increased by about 70%, but there has not been a corresponding increase in the availability of new faculty positions. Consequently, doctoral degree-holding archaeologists face more competition than ever before when applying for faculty positions. Here we examine where US and Canadian anthropological archaeology faculty originate and where they ultimately end up teaching. Using data derived from the 2014–2015 AnthroGuide, we rank doctoral programs whose graduates in archaeology have been most successful in the academic job market; identify long-term and ongoing trends in doctoral programs; and discuss gender division in academic archaeology in the US and Canada. We conclude that success in obtaining a faculty position upon graduation is predicated in large part on where one attends graduate school.
Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is an ubiquitous estuarine shellfish taxon in eastern Nort... more Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is an ubiquitous estuarine shellfish taxon in eastern North America and one of the most abundant materials available for radiocarbon (14C) dating. We examine spatiotemporal variability in carbon reservoir effects among pre-bomb oysters from Apalachicola Bay, USA, a river-influenced estuary on the northern Gulf of Mexico. Shells were sampled at multiple points along the valve to produce time-series records of 14C variation during the lives of the mollusks. Conventional ages within shells differed by as little as 36 14C yr to as much as 295 14C yr. Reservoir offsets varied sub-regionally within the estuary, increasing from 92±37 yr in the eastern edge of study region to 227±110 yr in the west, reflecting the influence of 14C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon from the Apalachicola River. Dynamic carbon reservoirs can pose problems for the estimation of ΔR and for building coastal chronologies. Estimating sub-regional ΔR values can be useful for ...
Archaeological investigations of the age and origins of marine shell beads are important for unde... more Archaeological investigations of the age and origins of marine shell beads are important for understanding the emergence and maintenance of long-distance trade networks in prehistory. In this paper we expand upon and re-examine the incremental carbon (14C and δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope data from two Olivella biplicata shell beads from the LSP-1 Rockshelter, Oregon, USA, to address two common problems in dating marine shell trade goods: (1) the source region is large, adding to uncertainty regarding the appropriate specification of ΔR; and (2) the 14C activity within individual specimens is variable. Although this combination of factors severely limits the dating precision that is possible, we recommend a sampling and calibration approach that accounts for these added sources of uncertainty and minimizes the loss of precision. We recommend (1) sequential sampling in order to quantify the range of variability in 14C within shells; (2) a Bayesian calibration procedure that models ...
This study examines the timing, tempo, and logic of fishery taskscapes at two Woodland villages (... more This study examines the timing, tempo, and logic of fishery taskscapes at two Woodland villages (ca. AD 325-1040) on the north-central coast of the Gulf of Mexico (USA). A multi-proxy combination of zooarchaeological attributions, light stable isotope analyses, and related approaches reveals cyclical aspects of the temporality of taskscapes at these two non-farming communities, identifying which resources were collected when and where. Awareness of local diurnal tidal cycles and their influence on accessibility and distribution of near-shore resources, and the rationales for strategies employed by modern, nonindustrial fishers and shellfish gatherers add depth and complexity to our understanding of the daily rhythms of life for these villagers. During winter months, shellfishing efforts likely took advantage of the lowest tides of the year to harvest massive quantities of oysters in the late morning each day. Fishing efforts likely tracked with tidal cycles as well, targeting deeper water during the early morning ebb tide, and the shoreline zone during the evening flood tide. In the summer, shoreline fishing opportunities peaked during midday high tide, with shellfishing opportunities being less frequent and less productive overall. The temporality of these interrelated tasks documents a strategic knowledge of tides, currents, and local resources.
A time frame for late Iroquoian prehistory is firmly established on the basis of the presence/abs... more A time frame for late Iroquoian prehistory is firmly established on the basis of the presence/absence of European trade goods and other archeological indicators. However, independent dating evidence is lacking. We use 86 radiocarbon measurements to test and (re)define existing chronological understanding. Warminster, often associated with Cahiagué visited by S. de Champlain in 1615–1616 CE, yields a compatible radiocarbon-based age. However, a well-known late prehistoric site sequence in southern Ontario, Draper-Spang-Mantle, usually dated ~1450–1550, yields much later radiocarbon-based dates of ~1530–1615. The revised time frame dramatically rewrites 16th-century contact-era history in this region. Key processes of violent conflict, community coalescence, and the introduction of European goods all happened much later and more rapidly than previously assumed. Our results suggest the need to reconsider current understandings of contact-era dynamics across northeastern North America.
Historical ecology has revolutionized our understanding of fisheries and cultural landscapes, dem... more Historical ecology has revolutionized our understanding of fisheries and cultural landscapes, demonstrating the value of historical data for evaluating the past, present, and future of Earth’s ecosystems. Despite several important studies, Indigenous fisheries generally receive less attention from scholars and managers than the 17th–20th century capitalist commercial fisheries that decimated many keystone species, including oysters. We investigate Indigenous oyster harvest through time in North America and Australia, placing these data in the context of sea level histories and historical catch records. Indigenous oyster fisheries were pervasive across space and through time, persisting for 5000–10,000 years or more. Oysters were likely managed and sometimes “farmed,” and are woven into broader cultural, ritual, and social traditions. Effective stewardship of oyster reefs and other marine fisheries around the world must center Indigenous histories and include Indigenous community mem...
Circular shell rings along the South Atlantic Coast of North America are the remnants of some of ... more Circular shell rings along the South Atlantic Coast of North America are the remnants of some of the earliest villages that emerged during the Late Archaic (5000–3000 BP). Many of these villages, however, were abandoned during the Terminal Late Archaic (ca 3800–3000 BP). We combine Bayesian chronological modeling with mollusk shell geochemistry and oyster paleobiology to understand the nature and timing of environmental change associated with the emergence and abandonment of circular shell ring villages on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Our Bayesian models indicate that Native Americans occupied the three Sapelo shell rings at varying times with some generational overlap. By the end of the complex’s occupation, only Ring III was occupied before abandonment ca. 3845 BP. Ring III also consists of statistically smaller oysters harvested from less saline estuaries compared to earlier occupations. Integrating shell biochemical and paleobiological data with recent tree ring analyses shows a clea...
The goal of this interdisciplinary project was to examine seasonal aspects of Woodland settlement... more The goal of this interdisciplinary project was to examine seasonal aspects of Woodland settlement patterns and resource use on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico from the perspective of two Woodland-period archaeological sites. The sites are located on the Alabama coast near Mobile Bay. Very little research has been conducted in this area for the Woodland period even though information about life during the Woodland period offers an important perspective on coastal life during the Mississippian period which followed it. Mississippian settlement patterns and subsistence strategies were presumably very different from those in the Woodland period in terms of mobility, social organization, and the role of domesticated plants. The project specifically looked at invertebrate and vertebrate remains from Middle and Late Woodland deposits at two Gulf coast sites: Plash Island (A.D. 325-642) and Bayou St. John (A.D. 650-1041). The multi-proxy study involved zooarchaeology of invertebrates and vertebrates, as well as stable isotope geochemistry [δ18O, δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr], laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and bulk ICP-MS analyses of oysters, rangias, coquinas, quahogs, hardhead catfishes, and gafftopsail catfishes. Molluscs dominate the Plash Island assemblage in terms of individuals though vertebrates contribute half of the biomass; molluscs dominate the Bayou St. John assemblage in terms of both individuals and biomass. Neither assemblage is highly diverse, though the Plash Island assemblage is more diverse than the Bayou St. John assemblage both in terms of sources of individuals and sources of biomass. People at Plash Island used shellfish and fish from a wider range of trophic levels and from higher trophic levels than did people at Bayou St. John. The more diverse strategy practiced at Plash Island extended to using more venison, which was a minor resource at Bayou St. John. Although people at both locations used over 70 invertebrate and vertebrate taxa, the people at Plash Island used those animals more evenly. Compared to the strategy practiced by people at Plash Island, people at Bayou St. John were more focused on estuarine resources, particularly molluscs, a focus reflected in the lower mean trophic level and the high percentages of individuals and biomass from trophic level 2.1 in the Bayou St. John assemblage. Most of the fish individuals in both assemblages are from fishes with the potential of maturing into large-bodied fishes. Inherently small-bodied fishes contribute very little of the biomass to either assemblage. Nonetheless, at least half of the sea catfishes, mullets, and drums in both assemblages had a Standard Length below 250 mm, indicating that they were small, young fish, though some individuals were considerably larger. The preferred fishing technology at both sites was based on mass-capture methods, such as weirs and small-gauged nets, but this was more pronounced at Bayou St. John than at Plash Island. Other technologies, such as large-gauged nets, likely were used to capture the large fish individuals in both assemblages. The Plash Island assemblage contains but one animal that has a markedly seasonal migratory habit such that its presence in the assemblage indicates a season when people too were present. In this case, the cownose ray only indicates a spring through fall, which is not sufficiently specific to reconstruct human residential patterns. The Bayou St. John assemblage contains somewhat more animals with more specific seasonal migratory habits; some of these animals are present near the site during warm weather and others are present during cool weather, indicating that Bayou St. John was occupied on a multi-seasonal basis. It also suggests a preference at both sites for using animals that were present at any time of the year, and seldom using highly seasonal molluscs or fishes. Stable oxygen isotope sequences in mollusc valves and fish otoliths indicate that people were present at both sites during all four seasons. Oxygen and carbon analysis of carbonate structures indicate that average stable oxygen and carbon isotope values of individual molluscs and fishes varied by taxon as well as by site. Isotopic analyses of carbon, nitrogen, and strontium indicate that archaeological deer specimens from Plash Island and Bayou St. John are all from the local biogeographic and geologic region and do not represent a resource brought to the site from a more inland location. For comparison, similar analyses were conducted on materials from the nearby, but inland, Corps site, which had a similar isotopic signature to the coastal materials. A parsimonious interpretation of this evidence may be that some, but not all, of the residents of coastal Alabama were mobile, but most of the mobility was restricted to the coastal strand, including Mobile Bay and the Mobile-Tensaw delta. Some of this mobility may have been seasonal, but, if so, it was based…
A single Northern Hemisphere calibration curve has formed the basis of radiocarbon dating in Euro... more A single Northern Hemisphere calibration curve has formed the basis of radiocarbon dating in Europe and the Mediterranean for five decades, setting the time frame for prehistory. However, as measurement precision increases, there is mounting evidence for some small but substantive regional (partly growing season) offsets in same-year radiocarbon levels. Controlling for interlaboratory variation, we compare radiocarbon data from Europe and the Mediterranean in the second to earlier first millennia BCE. Consistent with recent findings in the second millennium CE, these data suggest that some small, but critical, periods of variation for Mediterranean radiocarbon levels exist, especially associated with major reversals or plateaus in the atmospheric radiocarbon record. At high precision, these variations potentially affect calendar dates for prehistory by up to a few decades, including, for example, Egyptian history and the much-debated Thera/Santorini volcanic eruption.
ABSTRACTIn southwestern Florida, USA, terraformed landscapes built almost entirely of oyster shel... more ABSTRACTIn southwestern Florida, USA, terraformed landscapes built almost entirely of oyster shells (Crassostrea virginica) reflect a unique pre-Columbian tradition of shell-built architecture. The ability to reliably date oyster shells is essential to identifying spatial, temporal, and functional relationships among shellworks sites, yet to date there has been no systematic attempt to quantify or correct for carbon reservoir effects in this region. Here we present 14 radiocarbon (14C) ages for 5 known-age, pre-bomb oyster shells collected between AD 1932–1948, as well as 6 14C ages for archaeological oyster/charcoal pairs from the Turner River Mound Complex, Everglades National Park. We report our current best estimate of ΔR = 92 ± 74 yr for Greater Southwest Florida, and ΔR = –15 ± 42 yr for the Turner River archaeological site. Future research should focus on paired archaeological specimens to obtain spatially and temporally relevant estimates of ΔR.
Radiocarbon dating is rarely used in historical or contact-era North American archaeology because... more Radiocarbon dating is rarely used in historical or contact-era North American archaeology because of idiosyncrasies of the calibration curve that result in ambiguous calendar dates for this period. We explore the potential and requirements for radiocarbon dating and Bayesian analysis to create a time frame for early contact-era sites in northeast North America independent of the assumptions and approximations involved in temporal constructs based on trade goods and other archaeological correlates. To illustrate, we use Bayesian chronological modeling to analyze radiocarbon dates on short-lived samples and a post from four Huron-Wendat Arendarhonon sites (Benson, Sopher, Ball, and Warminster) to establish an independent chronology. We find that Warminster was likely occupied in 1615–1616, and so is the most likely candidate for the site of Cahiagué visited by Samuel de Champlain in 1615–1616, versus the other main suggested alternative, Ball, which dates earlier, as do the Sopher and...
Abstract The use of stable isotopes in zooarchaeology is common; however, the effects of many coo... more Abstract The use of stable isotopes in zooarchaeology is common; however, the effects of many cooking and post-depositional processes on the chemical composition of faunal remains are understood poorly. People of the Americas processed maize through nixtamalization, a method of preparing grains by soaking and cooking them in an alkaline solution. Once discarded, nixtamalization wastewater may have contacted other food waste, such as bone. We examine the effects of alkaline exposure on stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) in fish bone collagen. Bony structures of four modern shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus), a commonly identified taxon in eastern North American zooarchaeological assemblages, were exposed to four treatments that varied in alkalinity and duration of exposure. No significant differences were observed between treated and untreated specimens in δ13C values. Prolonged exposure to a highly alkaline solution caused a shift in bone collagen δ15N values of approximately −0.44‰. The extreme conditions required to cause this shift suggests that the byproduct of nixtamalization would have negligible effects on archaeological bone collagen δ13C and δ15N values.
In coastal and island archaeology, carbonate mollusk shells are often among the most abundant mat... more In coastal and island archaeology, carbonate mollusk shells are often among the most abundant materials available for radiocarbon (14C) dating. The marsh periwinkle (Littorina irrorata) is one of these such species, ubiquitously found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States in both modern and archaeological contexts. This paper presents a novel approach to dating estuarine mollusks where rather than attempting to characterize the size and variability of reservoir effects to “correct” shell carbonate dates, we describe a compound-specific approach that isolates conchiolin, the organic matter bound with the shell matrix of the L. irrorata. Conchiolin typically constitutes <5% of shell weight. In L. irrorata, it is derived from the snail’s terrestrial diet and is thus not strongly influenced by marine, hardwater, or other carbon reservoir effects. We compare the carbon isotopes (δ13C and Δ14C) of L. irrorata shell carbonate, conchiolin, and bulk soft tissue from six ...
Biogeochemical analyses of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are frequently included in env... more Biogeochemical analyses of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are frequently included in environmental monitoring and paleoecological studies because their shells and soft tissues record environmental and dietary signals. Carbon isotopes in the mineral phase of the shell are derived from ambient bicarbonate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), while organic carbon present in soft tissue is of dietary origin. Mineral-bound organic matter within the carbonate shell matrix (“conchiolin”) is studied less frequently. The purpose of this study was to compare carbon isotope composition (δ13C and Δ14C) of conchiolin to those of shell carbonates and soft tissues in eastern oysters and assess the extent to which conchiolin can provide insight into paleoecological records. Eleven oyster specimens were live-collected from Apalachicola Bay, USA, as well as a set of environmental samples (water, sediment, and terrestrial plants). Overall, the δ13C values in all studied oyster tissue types r...
Between 1985 and 2014, the number of US doctoral graduates in Anthropology increased from about 3... more Between 1985 and 2014, the number of US doctoral graduates in Anthropology increased from about 350 to 530 graduates per year. This rise in doctorates entering the work force along with an overall decrease in the numbers of tenure-track academic positions has resulted in highly competitive academic job market. We estimate that approximately79% of US anthropology doctorates do not obtain tenure-track positions at BA/BS, MA/MS, and PhD institutions in the US. Here, we examine where US anthropology faculty obtained their degrees and where they ultimately end up teaching as tenure-track faculty. Using data derived from the 2014-2015 AnthroGuide and anthropology departmental web pages, we identify and rank PhD programs in terms of numbers of graduates who have obtained tenure-track academic jobs; examine long-term and ongoing trends in the programs producing doctorates for the discipline as a whole, as well as for the subfields of archaeology, bioanthropology, and sociocultural anthropol...
Over the past 30 years, the number of US doctoral anthropology graduates has increased by about 7... more Over the past 30 years, the number of US doctoral anthropology graduates has increased by about 70%, but there has not been a corresponding increase in the availability of new faculty positions. Consequently, doctoral degree-holding archaeologists face more competition than ever before when applying for faculty positions. Here we examine where US and Canadian anthropological archaeology faculty originate and where they ultimately end up teaching. Using data derived from the 2014–2015 AnthroGuide, we rank doctoral programs whose graduates in archaeology have been most successful in the academic job market; identify long-term and ongoing trends in doctoral programs; and discuss gender division in academic archaeology in the US and Canada. We conclude that success in obtaining a faculty position upon graduation is predicated in large part on where one attends graduate school.
Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is an ubiquitous estuarine shellfish taxon in eastern Nort... more Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is an ubiquitous estuarine shellfish taxon in eastern North America and one of the most abundant materials available for radiocarbon (14C) dating. We examine spatiotemporal variability in carbon reservoir effects among pre-bomb oysters from Apalachicola Bay, USA, a river-influenced estuary on the northern Gulf of Mexico. Shells were sampled at multiple points along the valve to produce time-series records of 14C variation during the lives of the mollusks. Conventional ages within shells differed by as little as 36 14C yr to as much as 295 14C yr. Reservoir offsets varied sub-regionally within the estuary, increasing from 92±37 yr in the eastern edge of study region to 227±110 yr in the west, reflecting the influence of 14C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon from the Apalachicola River. Dynamic carbon reservoirs can pose problems for the estimation of ΔR and for building coastal chronologies. Estimating sub-regional ΔR values can be useful for ...
Archaeological investigations of the age and origins of marine shell beads are important for unde... more Archaeological investigations of the age and origins of marine shell beads are important for understanding the emergence and maintenance of long-distance trade networks in prehistory. In this paper we expand upon and re-examine the incremental carbon (14C and δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope data from two Olivella biplicata shell beads from the LSP-1 Rockshelter, Oregon, USA, to address two common problems in dating marine shell trade goods: (1) the source region is large, adding to uncertainty regarding the appropriate specification of ΔR; and (2) the 14C activity within individual specimens is variable. Although this combination of factors severely limits the dating precision that is possible, we recommend a sampling and calibration approach that accounts for these added sources of uncertainty and minimizes the loss of precision. We recommend (1) sequential sampling in order to quantify the range of variability in 14C within shells; (2) a Bayesian calibration procedure that models ...
In honor of the late Dienje M. E. Kenyon, a fellowship is offered to support
a female archaeologi... more In honor of the late Dienje M. E. Kenyon, a fellowship is offered to support a female archaeologist in the early stages of graduate zooarchaeology training, Kenyon’s specialty. An award of $1,000 will be made. To qualify for the award, applicants must be enrolled an M.A. or Ph.D. degree program focusing on archaeology. Strong preference will be given to applicants in the early stage of research project development and/or data collection, under the mentorship of a zooarchaeologist.
The committee solicits nominations and selects recipients for the Dienje Kenyon Memorial Fellows... more The committee solicits nominations and selects recipients for the Dienje Kenyon Memorial Fellowship. The fellowship is presented in support of research by women students in the early stages of their archaeological training. It is presented in honor of Dienje Kenyon.
The Society for American Archaeology recently announced the call for nominations for the 2016 Die... more The Society for American Archaeology recently announced the call for nominations for the 2016 Dienje Memorial Fellowship in Zooarchaeology. In honor of the late Dienje M. E. Kenyon, a fellowship is offered to support a female archaeologist in the early stages of graduate zooarchaeology training, Kenyon’s specialty. An award of $1,000 will be made. To qualify for the award, applicants must be enrolled in an M.A. or Ph.D. degree program focusing on archaeology. Strong preference will be given to applicants in the early stage of research project development and/or data collection, under the mentorship of a zooarchaeologist.
The deadline for applications and supporting letters is December 15. 2015.
The use of stable isotopes in zooarchaeology is common; however, the effects of many cooking and ... more The use of stable isotopes in zooarchaeology is common; however, the effects of many cooking and post-de-positional processes on the chemical composition of faunal remains are understood poorly. People of the Americas processed maize through nixtamalization, a method of preparing grains by soaking and cooking them in an alkaline solution. Once discarded, nixtamalization wastewater may have contacted other food waste, such as bone. We examine the effects of alkaline exposure on stable isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) in fish bone collagen. Bony structures of four modern shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus), a commonly identified taxon in eastern North American zooarchaeological assemblages, were exposed to four treatments that varied in alkalinity and duration of exposure. No significant differences were observed between treated and untreated specimens in δ 13 C values. Prolonged exposure to a highly alkaline solution caused a shift in bone collagen δ 15 N values of approximately −0.44‰. The extreme conditions required to cause this shift suggests that the byproduct of nix-tamalization would have negligible effects on archaeological bone collagen δ 13 C and δ 15 N values.
In coastal and island archaeology, carbonate mollusk shells are often among the most abundant mat... more In coastal and island archaeology, carbonate mollusk shells are often among the most abundant materials available for radiocarbon (14 C) dating. The marsh periwinkle (Littorina irrorata) is one of these such species, ubiquitously found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States in both modern and archaeological contexts. This paper presents a novel approach to dating estuarine mollusks where rather than attempting to characterize the size and variability of reservoir effects to "correct" shell carbonate dates, we describe a compound-specific approach that isolates conchiolin, the organic matter bound with the shell matrix of the L. irrorata. Conchiolin typically constitutes <5% of shell weight. In L. irrorata, it is derived from the snail's terrestrial diet and is thus not strongly influenced by marine, hardwater, or other carbon reservoir effects. We compare the carbon isotopes (δ 13 C and Δ 14 C) of L. irrorata shell carbonate, conchiolin, and bulk soft tissue from six modern, live-collected specimens from Apalachicola Bay, Florida, with samples that represent possible sources of carbon within their environment including surface sediments, marsh plant tissues, and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in water. Ultimately, this paper demonstrates that samples obtained from wet chemical oxidation of L. irrorata conchiolin produces accurate 14 C dates.
In southwestern Florida, USA, terraformed landscapes built almost entirely of oyster shells (Cras... more In southwestern Florida, USA, terraformed landscapes built almost entirely of oyster shells (Crassostrea virginica) reflect a unique pre-Columbian tradition of shell-built architecture. The ability to reliably date oyster shells is essential to identifying spatial, temporal, and functional relationships among shellworks sites, yet to date there has been no systematic attempt to quantify or correct for carbon reservoir effects in this region. Here we present 14 radiocarbon (14 C) ages for 5 known-age, pre-bomb oyster shells collected between AD 1932-1948, as well as 6 14 C ages for archaeological oyster/charcoal pairs from the Turner River Mound Complex, Everglades National Park. We report our current best estimate of ΔR = 92 ± 74 yr for Greater Southwest Florida, and ΔR =-15 ± 42 yr for the Turner River archaeological site. Future research should focus on paired archaeological specimens to obtain spatially and temporally relevant estimates of ΔR.
Biogeochemical analyses of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are frequently included in env... more Biogeochemical analyses of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are frequently included in environmental monitoring and paleoecological studies because their shells and soft tissues record environmental and dietary signals. Carbon isotopes in the mineral phase of the shell are derived from ambient bicarbonate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), while organic carbon present in soft tissue is of dietary origin. Mineral-bound organic matter within the carbonate shell matrix (" conchiolin ") is studied less frequently. The purpose of this study was to compare carbon isotope composition (δ13C and Δ14C) of conchiolin to those of shell carbonates and soft tissues in eastern oysters and assess the extent to which conchiolin can provide insight into paleoecological records. Eleven oyster specimens were live-collected from Apalachicola Bay, USA, as well as a set of environmental samples (water, sediment, and terrestrial plants). Overall, the δ13C values in all studied oyster tissue types record environmental signals related to carbon sources, with conchiolin being enriched in 13C by an average of 2.3‰ relative to bulk soft tissues. Δ14C values in oyster shell carbonates generally reflect the marine versus riverine source of DIC, while conchiolin Δ14C values are impacted by variable relative contributions of young and old organic matter. Environmental samples indicate a significantly large difference in Δ14C among sources, from –127‰ in particulate organic matter to approximately +15‰ in DIC. Conchiolin is significantly depleted in 14C relative to other tissue types, by as much as 56.6‰, posing a major obstacle to the use of conchiolin as an alternative material for radiocarbon dating.
Isotopic evidence from animal bones deposited in urban contexts offers a landscape perspective in... more Isotopic evidence from animal bones deposited in urban contexts offers a landscape perspective into urban life, hinting at where animals lived before reaching their final resting place in the city. Here, we use stable carbon and nitrogen isotope evidence from cattle (Bos taurus) bones excavated from commercial and residential sites within historic Charleston, South Carolina, to evaluate whether markets pooled or segregated access to beef cattle drawn into the urban economy from the broader landscape. Results indicate that stable isotope values of cattle are varied, suggesting a broad catchment area, and differ significantly among site contexts, offering preliminary evidence regarding the roles markets played in integrating the surrounding landscape through market exchange. KEYWORDS: Zooarchaeology, stable isotope analysis, historical archaeology, urban provisioning
The goal of this interdisciplinary project was to examine seasonal aspects of Woodland settlement... more The goal of this interdisciplinary project was to examine seasonal aspects of Woodland settlement patterns and resource use on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico from the perspective of two Woodland-period archaeological sites. The sites are located on the Alabama coast near Mobile Bay. Very little research has been conducted in this area for the Woodland period even though information about life during the Woodland period offers an important perspective on coastal life during the Mississippian period which followed it. Mississippian settlement patterns and subsistence strategies were presumably very different from those in the Woodland period in terms of mobility, social organization, and the role of domesticated plants. The project specifically looked at invertebrate and vertebrate remains from Middle and Late Woodland deposits at two Gulf coast sites: Plash Island (A.D. 325-642) and Bayou St. John (A.D. 650-1041). The multi-proxy study involved zooarchaeology of invertebrates and vertebrates, as well as stable isotope geochemistry [δ18O, δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr], laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and bulk ICP-MS analyses of oysters, rangias, coquinas, quahogs, hardhead catfishes, and gafftopsail catfishes. Molluscs dominate the Plash Island assemblage in terms of individuals though vertebrates contribute half of the biomass; molluscs dominate the Bayou St. John assemblage in terms of both individuals and biomass. Neither assemblage is highly diverse, though the Plash Island assemblage is more diverse than the Bayou St. John assemblage both in terms of sources of individuals and sources of biomass. People at Plash Island used shellfish and fish from a wider range of trophic levels and from higher trophic levels than did people at Bayou St. John. The more diverse strategy practiced at Plash Island extended to using more venison, which was a minor resource at Bayou St. John. Although people at both locations used over 70 invertebrate and vertebrate taxa, the people at Plash Island used those animals more evenly. Compared to the strategy practiced by people at Plash Island, people at Bayou St. John were more focused on estuarine resources, particularly molluscs, a focus reflected in the lower mean trophic level and the high percentages of individuals and biomass from trophic level 2.1 in the Bayou St. John assemblage. Most of the fish individuals in both assemblages are from fishes with the potential of maturing into large-bodied fishes. Inherently small-bodied fishes contribute very little of the biomass to either assemblage. Nonetheless, at least half of the sea catfishes, mullets, and drums in both assemblages had a Standard Length below 250 mm, indicating that they were small, young fish, though some individuals were considerably larger. The preferred fishing technology at both sites was based on mass-capture methods, such as weirs and small-gauged nets, but this was more pronounced at Bayou St. John than at Plash Island. Other technologies, such as large-gauged nets, likely were used to capture the large fish individuals in both assemblages. The Plash Island assemblage contains but one animal that has a markedly seasonal migratory habit such that its presence in the assemblage indicates a season when people too were present. In this case, the cownose ray only indicates a spring through fall, which is not sufficiently specific to reconstruct human residential patterns. The Bayou St. John assemblage contains somewhat more animals with more specific seasonal migratory habits; some of these animals are present near the site during warm weather and others are present during cool weather, indicating that Bayou St. John was occupied on a multi-seasonal basis. It also suggests a preference at both sites for using animals that were present at any time of the year, and seldom using highly seasonal molluscs or fishes. Stable oxygen isotope sequences in mollusc valves and fish otoliths indicate that people were present at both sites during all four seasons. Oxygen and carbon analysis of carbonate structures indicate that average stable oxygen and carbon isotope values of individual molluscs and fishes varied by taxon as well as by site. Isotopic analyses of carbon, nitrogen, and strontium indicate that archaeological deer specimens from Plash Island and Bayou St. John are all from the local biogeographic and geologic region and do not represent a resource brought to the site from a more inland location. For comparison, similar analyses were conducted on materials from the nearby, but inland, Corps site, which had a similar isotopic signature to the coastal materials. A parsimonious interpretation of this evidence may be that some, but not all, of the residents of coastal Alabama were mobile, but most of the mobility was restricted to the coastal strand, including Mobile Bay and the Mobile-Tensaw delta. Some of this mobility may have been seasonal, but, if so, it was based on more variable and subtle behaviors of the animals used, such as the reproductive cycles of the oysters, coquinas, sea catfishes, mullets, and drums, or on factors not related to animal periodicity.
The Radiocarbon & Archaeology 9th International Symposium will take place in Athens, Georgia, USA... more The Radiocarbon & Archaeology 9th International Symposium will take place in Athens, Georgia, USA, at the Classic Center in downtown Athens from Monday, May 20 through Friday, May 24, 2019.
The symposium will showcase current archaeological research that employs radiocarbon, as well as recent developments in the radiocarbon technique. Special thematic sessions will be held in honor of the 70th Anniversary of the discovery of radiocarbon dating.
The Symposium will include a full range of academic sessions, invited lectures, social events, and field trips within and beyond Athens.
The Symposium is sponsored and organized by the Center for Applied Isotope Studies at the University of Georgia.
Study of 686 bone tools and debitage from a Late Woodland site in coastal Alabama has led to reco... more Study of 686 bone tools and debitage from a Late Woodland site in coastal Alabama has led to recognition of a distinctive bone technology practiced in coastal regions of the northern Gulf of Mexico during the Middle and Late Woodland periods (350-1100 AD). Virtually the entire assemblage was manufactured from metapodials of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Replication experiments show that many of the deer metapodials were split longitudinally and transversely, into anterior and posterior halves, by direct percussion on an anvil, a technique reported from few other areas of the world. Preliminary carbon, nitrogen, and strontium isotope analyses indicate primarily local raw material acquisition, although deer element ratios suggest some metapodials must have been obtained elsewhere. The presence of bitumen on similar well-preserved tools from the Texas coast raises the possibility of chemically identifying its use in other places and in documenting trade in bitumen from the Gulf of Mexico, where it occurs naturally, washed ashore as tar balls from offshore oil seeps. This study exemplifies the benefits of integrating zooarchaeological, archaeometric, and worked bone analyses, which in this case has enhanced our understanding of the worked bone assemblage, while also hinting at broader social interactions between the coast and hinterland of southeastern North American during the Woodland period.
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Papers by Carla S Hadden
a female archaeologist in the early stages of graduate zooarchaeology training, Kenyon’s specialty. An award of $1,000 will be made. To qualify for the award, applicants must be enrolled an M.A. or Ph.D. degree program focusing on archaeology. Strong preference will be given to applicants in the early stage of research project development and/or data collection,
under the mentorship of a zooarchaeologist.
The deadline for applications and supporting letters is December 15. 2015.
For complete information please see the SAA Website: http://www.saa.org/AbouttheSociety/Awards/tabid/123/Default.aspx
KEYWORDS: Zooarchaeology, stable isotope analysis, historical archaeology, urban provisioning
The symposium will showcase current archaeological research that employs radiocarbon, as well as recent developments in the radiocarbon technique. Special thematic sessions will be held in honor of the 70th Anniversary of the discovery of radiocarbon dating.
The Symposium will include a full range of academic sessions, invited lectures, social events, and field trips within and beyond Athens.
The Symposium is sponsored and organized by the Center for Applied Isotope Studies at the University of Georgia.